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3 SheetsSheet 1.

N6 Model.)

L B. SMITH. UARPET SEWING MAGHINE.

No. 296.474. Patented Apr. 8, 1884.

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N4 PETERS Pnum-Luhn m hu. Washingmn. ac.

3 SheetsSh.eet 2.

(No Model.)

A. B. SMITH. CARPET SB WING MACHINE.

No. 296,474. Patented Apr. 8,1884.

I M Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. B.. SMITH. CARPET SEWING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 296,474. Patented Apr. 8, 1884..

WiI'IESSES N4 Firmsv rum-l hm m. Washingmn. D c.

v UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE.

ALPHONSO BUDD' SMITH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TOSOLON-PATTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-SEWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,474, dated April 8,1884-. Application filed April .26, 1883'. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHONSO Bonn SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements inCarpet-Sewing Machines; and[ do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference beinghad to [O the accompanying drawings. My invention has reference tosewing-ma chines of the class or kind now commonly known ascarpet-sewing machines, which are constructed for the special purpose ofX5 stitching carpets, sail-cloth, canvas, and other like coarse heavymaterial. By means ,of my improvements, as hereinafter described, Iproduce a machine having the capacity to work either directly upon theedges of the material supported for the purpose in a vertical positionfrom points of suspension, at intervals, for the-length of scam to beformed, and by adjustment made capable of operating upon a fixed trackor guides along a bench or table, to the edges of which is clamped thematerialto be stitched. In the present application, however, whileI showand describe both forms of machine and explain how the same machine maybe equipped to perform the work in either position,with the substitutionofcere tain parts in one for those used in the other, and the properlateral adjustment of the frame, I claim only such features as arecommon to the machine in both adjustments, and those used thereuponwhenit is equipped to work upon a bench. The features peculiar to themachine when used directly on the edge of the material without any benchor supporting means have been made the subject-matter of a separateapplication for patent.

The objects sought to be attained are to-pro vide a machine to work uponlarge heavy kinds of material that cannot be readily handled andstitched by ordinary machinery, and to work upon all grades of suchmateriahfrom the heaviest to the lightest, and a machine that isparticularly adapted to work to the best advantage on each kind ofmaterial.

To such end and purpose my improvements consist, first, in certain novelconstruction of frame or carriage, as hereinafter fully described,whereby the working parts are disposed, supported, and balanced in themanner best calculated to produce even motion and regular feed, andwhereby also the 'machine is rendered adaptable to travel and workdirectly upon the edges ofthe material, or to be operated upon a trackor guide fixed on a bench or work-supporting table; secondly, in thecombination, with such frame," of carrying and guiding rollersadjustable to enable the machine to work in both positions- 4. 6.,either upon the edges of material held vertically or upon the work-benchto which the edges of the material are held by clamps; thirdly, incertain novel construction of bench or table, guide-tracks for themachine, and a clamping and supporting device to confine and hold thework in position with respect to the movements of the machine; fourthly,in certain novel construction of feed mechanism for operating themachine upon the fixed workbench to give it a progressive movement stepby step; and, lastly, in the combination and arrangement, together andwith the frame or carriage, of parts and mechanism for operating ahorizontally-moving needle, an underthread carrying and controllingmechanism, and thread-controlling devices comprising the stitch-formingmechanism.

The following description fully explains the nature of my saidimprovements and the manner in which I proceed to construct, apply, andcombine the same to produce a sewingmachine of the kind described. 8 5

In the said drawings referred to, Figure 1 represents a front elevationof my said sewing-machine set up and in position'for operating upon thework-supporting bench. Fig. 2 illustrates the operation of thework-clampo ing device by which the edges of material are held to thework-bench and presented to the traveling sewing mechanism. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the machine, taken from. the lefthand side of Fig. 1,the fixed bench and ma- 5 terial being shown in cross-section. Fig. 3 isa detail view, showing an enlarged section of the needle-arm and box,with the underneath groove and part that rides therein. Fig. 4 is afront view of the feed mechanism, consist- 10o ing of afixed rack uponthe table and a vibrating finger or pawl upon the machine.

\ terial to be stitched together.

g f i 7 296,474

m, Fig. 3. Fig. is a side view showing the change and adjustment ofparts for working directly upon the material, the parts in sectionrepresenting the two thicknesses of ma- Fig. 5 is a steadying-bar to beused with the machine when adjusted for working directly upon thematerial. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the feed mechanism that isemployed in place of the mechanism, Fig. 4, when the machine is made tofeed directly upon the material, Fig. dbeing a front view, partly insection, and Fig. 7 a plan or top view.

A is a fiat. plate of thin sheet or cast metal,

- and forming the principal carrying-plate for the mechanism thatoperates the needle, a looper, a, and feed device D. It carries a stud,A, on which is mounted a groove-cam, O, to work the lever A, whichactuates the needlebar B and a double-face cam, c c, of which one partoperates a feeding-lever, D, and the other part actuates the lever E ofthe looper or under-thread carrier. the plate also is a stud, b, whereonthe needle-actuating lever B is pivoted, and also at 'one side abracket, (1, for the feed-lever centen, and at the other side a pivot,c, for the looper-lever.

A is a box having a groove, a to receive and guide the needle-bar. Thisbox, fixed across the top of the plate A, is secured to it at the pointf, and in a horizontal position transversely to the face of the plate.Upon this box are sockets a? a for the sp00]spindles, and there issecured to it a frame, G, earrying traction-rollers or flanged wheels 95/, that are points of support for the frame upon the track H of thework-holding bench.

' In the bottom of the rear end of the box AF,

\ or the end back of the plate A, a dovetail slot or way, a is cut toreceive the dovetail end piece, 13, at the top of a plate, K. Athumbscrew, 70, is let through this sliding block 'i to is to give notonly a steadying-surface to slide upon the back of the work-bench, as inthe adjustment, Fig. 3, or against the surface of the material, as inFig. 5, but also to give a point of attachment for the guiding-handle Mand a steadying-bar, N. The metal parts of the handle M are fixed to theback of the plate K by screws m m, and have two lateral extensions, m W,with a rod, m passing throughthe handle-roller M from one extension tothe other. A half-round socket, N, is provided on the back of the plateto receive the ppper bent endofsteadying-bar N. This bar holds avertical position, and is made of sufficient length to extend below thebottom of the plate A.

A short stud, of, fixed on its lower end, holds Upon the front of aVShaped groove-roller to travel on a supplementary rail, H, secured tothe side of the bench W. This bar, roller, and secondary track serve tomaintain the upright position of the machine upon the track H and tocounteract the sway or lateral vibration of the plate A, produced byworking the crank L. This construction of steadying-bar is onlyapplicable, however, to the machine when adjusted for and used with theworkbench, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

In the adjustment of the machine to travel directly upon the edge of thematerial to be stitched, I provide a steadying-bar, P, Fig. 5, having anend, 19", to fit the socket N, and a crutch-piece, 19 to be placed underthe arms of the operator as additional means for steadying the carriage,and leaving the two hands of the operator free to work the crank L andgrasp the handle M. This bar 1?, when used, will extend backward nearlyhorizontal and in line with the direction of travel, and will be longenough to reach the armpit when the crank and handle of the machine aregrasped in the hands. This gives the operator the use of both hands toguide the machine and rotate the crank. Now, as thus constructed, thecarriage is capable of running and working as well upon a fixedwork-bench as upon and over the edge of the carpet or material whensus-'. pended Vertically in the manner now employed in carpet-sewingmachines that are constructed to travel directly on the edge of thework. Its ready adjustment renders itadaptable for heavy work or forlight material that is not sufficiently heavy and stiff to properlysupport the machine and afford surface for the stout plank, VV,-set onedge, and may be as long as the seam to be stitchedan d as high as willsuit the convenience of the operator. Along the back part of the top orupper edge is fixed a rail, H, and against the front face a narrowplate, w, in position as nearly as possible parallel with the rail, andwith its upper edge, 10, practically horizontal and projecting slightlyabove the top of the plank. This projecting edge w is notched for thefeedingpawl to work against, and in the face of the plate are fixed arow of projecting pins, to", at short distances apart and long enough totake the whole thickness of material. The two thicknesses of materialare impaled on these points, and a clamping-bar, X, of wood or metal, insections of convenient length, is employed to hold and confine the topedge of the The top edge of et, 3/, to receive the thumb-screw y, thatcon- 'plate, D, is fixed to the inner side of the le- 'fords a means forthrowing the feed-pawl into above the top of the plank W to affordabearing for the jaw y of the clamp, and the body Y is bent or curved tocarry it over clear of the edge of the material and bring the pressureof the two jaws into line. The outer bent end of the clamp Yha-sascrew-threaded sockstitutes the movable jaw. This construction of theclamp and its application are clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings. The progressive movement of the carriage after each stitch asthe needle leaves the material is effected by the backward movement ofthe feed-lever D and by the engagement of the end of its pawl or fingerD'with the top w of the notched plate to on the bench. The lever D isoperated by the face-cam c, and being pivoted at d the forward throw ofits lower end moves its upper end backward; but the engagement of thefeeding-finger D with a notch in the platew has the effect to hold thisen'd of the lever at rest and make it a point of leverage, and the wholemachineis moved forward upon the track as the cam throws out the lowerend of the lever. A spring, f holds the lever to work against the cam;but by using a groove-cam in place of this face-cam the spring will notbe required.

To regulate the length of stitch, a contactver, so that its lower endcan be set out away from the end of thelever a greater or less distance.One end of this tongue is fixed at d to the lever, and the lower endrests against a setscrew, D working through the end of the feedscrewfrom the front, and thus the throw of the feed-lever is diminished bysetting this tongue to meet the cam. The fulcrum of the feedlever is aneccentric, 6, set in hearings in the bracket (2 on the edge of theplatefand a handle, D, is fixed to or forms a continuation! of theeccentric to the front, by means of which the center of the lever can bethrown in or out. This construction (clearly shown in Fig. 1) afand outof operation.

In adjusting the machine to run and feed directly on the edge of thematerial, a pair of nipper-jaws, S, having corrugated grasping ends S,are substituted for the feed-pawl, and the machine is then moved alongstep by step through the alternate action of these nippers againstopposite sides of the material confined between the two plates. Thisfeed consists of. dogs S, with notched or serrated inner faces looselypivoted to the ends of two curved bars, S, that are held in position bytwo small brackets, S", one fixed to each plate A K, with sufficientroom between the outside face of the plate and the inside of thebrackets to take in the bar S. A seat, S for the bracket is fixed to theouter side of the bar S, and theinner face of the bracket is convex orIOIIHGGLLSO that the bars may rock upon them as fulcra. These bars S fitin the space on each side of the flanged roller Q and just outside ofthe plates A K. Their front ends are inserted in the loop a on the topof the plate A through which the pawl works. In place of the feed-pawlused in the other form, a beak, r, with wedge-shape sides, is fixed by ascrew, 1*, to the end of the feedlever. Two slots, 12 19 are provided inthis end or head D one to receive the screw of the feed-pawl and theother for the bindingscrew of the beak r. The necessity of these twoslots arises from the difference in the center of the machine, that isfound to be changed as the plate K is moved toward the plate A insetting .the two plates to the thickness of the material,

for in this adjustment the thickness of the bench and of the clampingbararetaken from the space within the frame; but only one o the plates ismoved.

In the two plates A K, just below the needle-hole, are slots A for thefeed-points S.

Fig. 6 shows the position of the roller Q, the feed-bar S, and thewedge-shape beak r, the segment of plate shown being the inside face andthe section being taken on a line running longitudinally through thecenter.. The roller Q has a deep groove, with tapering faces on theinner side of its flanges, and it is set to run upon the edges of thematerial, and acts bothas a guide and as a presser, to bring the twothicknesses ofmaterial closely together in advance of the part where theneedle penetrates. It is adj ustable in a vertical direction, itsbracket (1 being fixed to the front of the needle-arm box A by a screw,g, taking through a slot.

In the form of the machine adapted to move on a fixed track on the barthat is fixed to the back of the needle-arm box at G will be seenflanged rollers g g, that carry the machine along in the fixed track Hbut in the adjustment of the machine nowbeing described, and as shown inFigs. 5, 6, and 7, these rollers are inoperative. The machine thentravels on, and is entirely supported by the roller Q and a smallerroller, Q, at the rear end of the machine. This rear roller is carriedin an ear or extension, 19, at the top rear corner of the principalplate A. In the machine as adapted to run directly on the edge of thematerial being stitched, the position of these two rollers Q Q is thusdirectly upon the edge of the said material, and the feed-points S Swork through the slots A from the outside and engage with the surface ofthe material as the outer ends of the feedbars S are pressed outward.This movement of the bars takes place at every backward throw of theupper end of the feed lever, at which time the wedge a" is pressed inbetween the bars, the brackets S acting as fulcrum-points. At thereverse motion of the feed-lever the wedge withdraws and the smallsprings S throw out the feedpoints. The smaller end of the wedge iscurved downwardly to enter the slit between the two thicknesses ofmaterial being stitched. Its office is to turn in the threads and raggededges or nap in advance of the needle and feed.

In this manner my improved machine is constructed and'renderedadjustable for light andheavy work, to operate either upon a fixed trackand work-supporting bench, or to work directly upon the edges of thematerial suspended vertically, the change from one to the other beingaccomplished by simply shifting the sliding plate K of the frame andsubstituting the wedge and upper feed for the pawl D, or vice versa. Inthe first-described adjustment the machine is advanced step by stepthrough the operation of the feeding-pawl against the fixed track ornotched bar on the workbench; and inthe operation of the nipper feed thepoints of the upper feed-bars constitute jaws that grasp the thicknessesof material between them at backward throw of the feed-lever, and thusform for a time a fixed point of leverage for the feed-lever, from whichprogression of the whole machine over the edge of the material results.Combined with these parts are the required thread-controlling mechanismand the needle and looper operating mechanism for forming stitches. Theparticular construction of these, however,

, forms no part of my present invention, as their application and themode of obtaining the renation, with the stitch forming and feedingmechanisms, of the two plates A and K,which support said mechanisms, oneof said plates being provided at the top with an a rm extending acrossoverthe other plate, and the other plate being secured adj ustably tothe said arm, whereby the plates may be adjusted toward or from eachother, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the box A the fixed depending plate A, having studA and brackets b d,'and the actuating mechanism connected therewith, andrear plate, K, having the guidehandle, and adapted to slide laterallytoward and from the fixed plate, and a bindingscrew,

substantially as hereinbefore described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the frame adapted to travel astride of theedges'of material to be stitched together, carrying wheels 9 g, aworksupporting bench, W, having fixed track, the

clamps to X, and the steady-bar, with tractionwheel and the guide-railon the back of the work-bench, substantially as hereinbefore described,for the purpose set forth.

4. In a carpet-sewing machine, the combination of the traveling frameadapted to carry all the stitch-forming mechanism, and to rest astrideof and move over the edges of material to be stitched, a work-supportingbench having a guide-track for the frame, and a clamping device to holdthe material in a vertical position, a fixed rack placed in relation tothe guide-track, as described, and a pawl or vibrating finger, D, andoperating mechanism attached to the said traveling frame, the movementsof which in one direction cause the finger to engage with the rack andpropel the frame forward, and in the other direction to pass over therack without-engaging, substantially as hereinbefore. described.

5. The combination,with the adjustable traveling frame having ahorizontally reciprocating and vibrating looper, of the fixed lever D,having theheadD, provided with the two slots, and interchangeablefeeding devices to be secured in the slots, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the stationary bench W, track H, notched plate w,clamp-bar X, and movable clamps Y,substantially as herein beforedescribed.

7. The combination of the stationary bench W, track H, notched plate w,clamp-bar X, movable clamps Y, and lower guide-rail, H, carrying-frame,and steadying-bar N, with its roller, substantially 'as described.

ALRHONSO BUDD SMITH. [n s.]

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORNE,

E. PATTEN.

